Letter: Karl Rove politics must go

Karl Rove, a top advisor to President George W. Bush is interviewed in a tent outside the White House in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, October 24, 2006. Several advisors to President Bush were available to media for interviews. (Chuck Kennedy/MCT)

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Someone wrote recently that "Conservatism is too important to be left to the Republican Party." How true. Starting with the 1994 congressional majority and increasingly during President George W. Bush's administration, Republicans ignored conservative principles and demolished both conservative and Republican brands in the minds of the American people.

Conservatives advocate small government. Republicans enlarged the federal bureaucracy at the expense of local autonomy. Conservatives support fiscal responsibility. Republicans increased spending, with special attention to increasing the number of earmarks each year. Conservatives value selfless, ethical conduct. Republicans repeatedly brought scandal to Washington. Conservatives want government to leave them alone. Republicans frequently meddled in state, local and personal matters. Conservatives believe in using conservative principles to solve national problems. Republicans did nothing about the economy, deficit spending, immigration, energy, health care and tax reform.

Today's Republican Party has but one goal: to win elections. Republican leaders gathered recently to discuss how to attract black and Hispanic voters who figured prominently in the Democrats success in November. Such focus may lead the party to engage in group politics and cater to the liberal, big government programs currently attractive to minorities. But, while winning elections may be enough for the professional political class, it is not sufficient for conservatives, whose goal is to govern conservatively. What's the point of winning if we fail to govern according to our basic principles?

Hence the conservative dilemma: attempt to reform the Republican Party along traditional conservative lines, or strike out in a new political direction by forming a truly conservative political party. While the latter course might be attractive, a reform movement within the Republican Party may be the only way to reinstate conservatism in time to be effective on a national scale. America looks more like Europe with each passing day.

What might a resurgent Conservative Republican Party look like? Two overriding concepts are essential: First, return to constitutional government, and second, revitalize the American culture that emphasizes our national motto, "E Pluribus Unum."

In restoring constitutional government, conservative Republicans can point to the Constitution itself to limit the federal government and can use the states as laboratories for change. To revitalize the American culture, the party can advocate an English language amendment to the Constitution and sponsor public education projects that show American history in an unbiased light that emphasizes the development of the unique American character. We are not, after all, a nation of immigrants.

Some structural changes are required as well. A larger, more conservative party must include multiple leaders - we can see the disastrous effect of uniting behind Bush - leading the Republicans and conservatives into major defeats in 2006 and 2008. We should end the fixation with a single leader and draw on a broader pool of conservative leadership. And, let's also end the litmus tests that drive away so many talented people.

Finally, conservatives deserve better than the quadrennial cheerleading that passes for a Republican convention and the papering over of divergent views in the name of party unity. We must facilitate the contest of ideas that allows the best solutions to emerge.

If we intend to attract conservative Americans who don't identify themselves as conservatives, we must get rid of Karl Rove politics that polarize elections to "energize the base" and that resulted in two very narrow presidential victories and significant losses in 2006 and 2008. Rather, Republicans must reach out to Middle Americans who believe in individualism, hard work, nationalism, a small federal government, and free enterprise and bring them into the Republican fold. We must attract like-minded independents who can provide the mandate to govern conservatively. To repeat myself: it isn't just about winning elections; it's about governing.

Conservative Republicans need to emphasize solutions to the nation's problems and exhibit a tenacious regard for the national good. Clear adherence to these two principles will, over time, result not only in electoral success, but a mandate to govern. To promote conservative solutions near term, Republicans must learn to govern from outside the Beltway by working with state governments and conservative think tanks to solve national problems and by challenging the liberal agenda, much of which is unconstitutional, in the courts.

We owe it to succeeding generations to make our case for individualism, liberty and limited government.

Fritz Mehrtens

Irvine

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